Question

What procedures are administered during a physical examination? What is the goal of each procedure? Why does the order matter? support your answer with one scholarly article.

Answer 1

What procedures are administered during a physical examination?

Physical examination includes the Head to toe assessment of an individual.It is done in sequence of procedures on each system of a human body.sequence  of assessment includes:

1.Inspect

2.palpate

3.percuss

4.Auscultate

Why does the order matter?

This is sequence is not followed in the case of abdominal physical examination because the palpation and percussion will alter the bowel sounds ,therefore auscultation comes ahead of it.In abdominal examination the sequence will be 1.inspect

2.Auscultate

3.percuss

4.palpate

What is the goal of each procedure?

On inspection health personnel will look on each system of body for normal color, shape and consistency.

• skin(integumentary system) - to look for any rashes ,wounds, cyst or tumors.
• face and eyes - look for symmetry,color of sclera etc.
• neck veins - distention of neck viens (jugular vein distention)
• chest(thoracic) and abdomen (stomach area)- symmetry of chest,shape of chest (barrel chest,pigeon chest ) any masses or cyst
• legs - Symmetry of two legs,color of peripheries to watch out cyanosis etc.
• muscles- look for muscle tone,working ability of muscles.
• elbows and joints - look for swelling and inflammation,movement etc.
• Reproductive organs-look for the size,hair growth ,any color changes ,masses etc

On palpation examiner uses his hands to identify presence of  any masses,lymph nodes enlargement .This is done mainly on chest and abdomen.

On Auscultation the examiner aims on identifying the abnormal sounds of chest,abdomen and neck veins.if any abnormal sounds is found then further test will be done.

On Percussion the examiner aims on tapping the body parts with finger or hands to reveal the edges of each organ also to find out the presence and absence of fluids in the cavity.Based on the percussion reports further test is advised like scans.

support your answer with one scholarly article?

Assessing patients effectively: Here's how to do the basic four techniques

Nursing2006: November-December 2006 - Volume 8 - Issue 2 - p 6

Source: Health Assessment made Incredibly Visual!, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007.